Artist Statement

I am a photographer, artist, musician, and scientist. My identities and experiences impact the way I interpret the world, and it shows through my photographs. I began my foray into photography only recently, at the beginning of 2018. I am sad I hadn't started sooner. Photography brings me incredible joy and purpose, while also (unintentionally) making me more active and in touch with our natural world.

My photography projects are the manifestations of my Creative Motives, as outlined below.

Creative Motive - Landscapes

I had never really enjoyed “the outdoors” when I was kid. In fact, it took me 23 years to appreciate the wonder and beauty of the Natural World. I mostly avoided hikes and camping but now I seek the sanctity of our Public Lands every week. And this hobby was itself the product of my photography.

I love hiking, being in forests, and seeking the wisdom of mountains. A majority of my work will be landscape-focused as a way to inspire (hopefully) my audience the same way that Mother Nature has inspired me.

Creative Motive - Black and White

The reason I primarily create black and white photographs is because these images make sense to me. I feel that “normal” color can be distracting - it is too easy to miss the subtleties of a photograph if our minds are preoccupied with color. In many ways, I feel that black and white reveals more in a photograph than color ever could. And black and white allows me a greater latitude in experimentation to play with light and shadows to create interesting and perhaps bizarre things.

It’s also true that my continued work in black and white is a quiet revolt against those who have told me to work more in color, because they think color looks better. I’ll convince them otherwise eventually.

Current Projects

INVERSIONS - This project was born from curiosity and a little bit of boredom. I was familiar with inverting images (used on occasion for my work) and while editing photos one day I asked myself “what would happen if I inverted my photos?”. I was pleasantly surprised to see what the inverted world revealed to me, and I hope you are too.

Colorado Landscapes - Having been born and raised in Colorado, I feel deeply connected to and at home with this state. This project showcases the beauty of Colorado and its landscapes, as seen through its many popular parks and tourist destinations.

Woodland Sketches - Titled after Edward MacDowell’s piano suite of the same name, this project showcases images from less popular or lesser known trails and open spaces in the Western United States. Much like how the piano suite explores different woodland settings, so too I hope to share the diversity in the wildness of Nature. A link to the first movement of the piano suite is provided here.

noir - Named in reference to the classic film genre, shot in black-and-white, this project focuses solely on observing the world in shades of grey.